Oregon dairy tests manure-to-energy machine

(AP) – Oregon's largest dairy will test a new generation of technology that captures methane from cow manure – tapping an underused energy source and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

NW Natural and Bonneville Environmental Foundation are building the $1 million methane digester at Threemile Canyon Farms in Boardman.

Methane digesters are not new, but Bill Eddie of the foundation says the model developed by J-U-B Engineers of Boise, Idaho, costs less and can be used on small farms as well as big ones.

The utility and the environmental group get half the capital costs back as state energy tax credits. NW Natural can sell carbon offsets to customers. The dairy can substitute the methane for propane to heat water.